Improvement in coil-spring machines



5 Sheet's-Sheet 1.

P. OUO HERAT. Coil-Spring Machine.

No.206,300. Patent edluly 23,1878.

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N4 PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. OUCHERAT. Coil-Spring Machine.

No. 206,300. Patented July 23,1878.

I I uZCdokeTaiT a .19we7cav 5 Sheets-Sheet 8.

P. GUGHERAT. Coil-Spring Machine.

No. 206,300. Patented July 23,4878.

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5 Sheets-Sheen 4.

P. GUOHERAT. Coil-Spring Machine.

No. 206,300. P aten ted July 23, 1878;

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Coil-Spring Machine. No. 206,300, Patented July 23,1878.

Even/Z02 ael dude/Ea Ta /Z- W A-Zzazyzey N. PETERS. FNOTO LITHOGRAFHER,WASHNGTON, D C.

PATENT OFFICE,

PAUL ()UCITE 1A1", ()F LYONS, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COIL-SPRING MACHINES.

I Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,300, dated July23!, 1878; application filed October 21, 1377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL UUOHERAT, of Lyons, France, engineer, haveinvented a new and useful ll'lachine for makin g Metal Springs, whichmachine is fully set forth in the following specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a machine for forming spiral springs from wiresor rods of metal bysubiecting such wires or rods, after straightening,to continuous flexionin the same direction and beyond the limit ofelasticity of the metal as the wires or rods pass longitudinally underthe action of the bending-tool, being at the same time supported at bothsides of said tool.

The forming of springs by my machine is a continuous operation, each rodor wire, or given length thereof, from which a spring is formed beingsubjected to precisely the same action of the straightening, coiling,severing, and compressing devices as all other rods or wires, or givenlengths thereof, which pass through the machine at the same adjustment,and before one spring completely finished falls out of the machineanotheris, or others are, in process of formation by the same devicesand following the same path.

My invention consists, first, in an improved combination of rod or wiresupports and an intermediate reciprocating standard, which acts upon therod or wire to produce successive flexures or bends thereon between saidsupports as said wire or rod passes continuously from one to the othersecond, in an improved combination of devices for actuating a severingapparatus, arranged directly over the second rod or wire support, fromwhich the coiled spring passes between the cutting-blades, and is bythem cut into required lengths; third, in a compressing device,consisting of a circumferentially-slotted drum, arranged eccentricallyaround a rotary hub provided with spokes, which play through the slot inthe drum, which is provided with a hopper, into which each sprin g fallsas severed, and is caught upon one of the said arms and forced aroundthrough the gradually-narrowing chamber of the eccentricdrum, andfinally expelled therefrom at its most contracted part, on emerging fromwhich the spring has undergone the required compression, and drops fromthe arm which carried it; fourth, a combination of engaging anddisengaging devices, by means of which the principal operative parts ofthe machine maybe simultaneously thrown in or out of action.

It consists, besides, in certain connecting and adjusting devices,which, together with the various details of construction involved in myinvention, will be hereinafter described and the operation thereofexplained.

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my spring-formingmachine, showing the devices for straightening the rods or wirespreparatory to the coiling, the coiling and severin g devices, and thecompressing drum and arms; also a portion of the disengaging andadjusting devices. Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite end elevations of themachine. Figs. 4: and 5 are two opposite perspective elevations, showingeach two sides, and, through large cuts, the interior of the machine.

From the suitably-formed base W rise broad standards Y Y, connectedtogether by crossbeams, and upon a bracket, 10, projecting from thestandard Y is arranged a standard, 40, which supports a wire or rodstraightening device, A, consisting of the small grooved wheels orrollers a, which should be arranged so close together as to oppose aconsiderable frictional resistance to the passage of a bar or wirelongitudinally between the upper and lower rows thereof.

In practice, the upper row of wheels should be vertically adjustable, inorder to accommodate wires and rods of various diameters.

A is a larger grooved wheel, mounted upon the projecting end of a shaft,m, journaled in suitable bearings upon the standards Y Y, and having itsupper edge in the same horizontal plane as the upper edges of the lowerrow of small rollers a.

B is a wheel in all respects similar to A, and mounted in the samehorizontal, and turns in the same vertical, plane therewith upon ashaft, 111, as shown, but may be arranged in another vertical plane fora purpose hereinafter explained. The shaft on, besides its bearings inthe standards Y Y, extends to, and has bearin gs in, the upper end of anarm or bracket, 11, and upon this part of said shaft are mounted thefast and loose pulleys q and g.

D is a wheel similar to A and B, and is mounted upon the projecting endof a shaft, m, which is journaled in movable hearings in the ends ofbent levers or arms X X, pivoted at x a; in upward projections from thestandards Y Y, and extending downward tonear the base IV. Between thegrooved wheels A and B stands a vertical standard or tool, 0, having inits upper end a suitable aperture, 0, cut in the direction of therotation of the wheels. This standard or tool has an enlarged lowerportion, extending downward through guides a c, and resting upon andfirmly secured to a frame, M, open outward and at its sides, andarranged to move vertically. The bottom of the frame is an inclined orwedge-shaped block, M, upon which rests the inclined face of anotherblock, L, arranged to slide thereupon. Between the block L and the topof the frame M revolves a smoothfaced eccentric, E, or a cam, mountedupon a shaft, E, having bearings in the standards Y Y. The rear wall offrame M has a vertical slot, through which the shaft E passes. The shaftE, when revolving and by means of the cam E, the block L, and the frameM M, causes to mount and descend the standard or tool 0, according tothe form of the said cam E. The wires or rods, which are drawn by thewheels A and D until they pass between them, will be pushed forwardafter having passed, in consequence of their rigidity, and passingthrough the aperture 0 of the tool under the friction-roller on its top,and being on the other side supported by the wheel B, they will be bentby continuous pressure of the upper wall of this aperture 0. Accordinglyto the position of the points of contact of the wires or rods on thewheels A and B and through the aperture 0 at the top of O, the flcxuregiven to the wires or rods will be more or less.

Shaft E carries on the projecting end an obliquetoothed gear-wheel, K,which meshes with a worm-wheel, F, upon the end of a swinging shaft, E,which has upon its upper end a bevel-gear wheel, G, meshing with acorresponding gear, G, mounted upon the main driving-shaft m, mountedupon bearin gs located in the standards Y Y.

A countershaft, journaled in bearings upon standards YY between thebearings of shafts m and m, carries a gear-wheel, H, which meshes withsimilar wheels H H, mounted upon shafts m and m, and shafts m and m alsocarry gear-wheels Z Z, meshing together at the proper time.

Thus far I have described the devices and arrangements thereof essentialto the proper introduction of a wire or rod into the machine and ceilingit into spiral form, and their operation is as follows: A rod or wire isplaced between the rows of rollers a, fed between wheels A and D throughaperture 0 of standard or tool 0, and its end resting upon wheel B.Power now being applied to pulley g by means of a belt, rotary motion iscommunicated from shaft m through gear-wheels ll, 11, H, and Z Z towheels A D 13, and through bevel-gears G G worm-wheel F, and obliquetoothed wheel K to the shaft E and eccentric E, which, by itsrevolutions, more or less slow, (this eccentric having only to make oneturn while the whole length of a spring passes between the wheels A andD,) communicates a vertical. reciprocating motion to the standard G. Theextent and rapidity of this motion are relative to the form of thesprings to be made. For each form, different in diameter of coils, theeccentriocam E has to be adjusted diifcrentially in its form andeccentricity.

The wheels A and D clamping the wire or rods tightly between them, owingto the pressure exerted by adjusting-screws s s in the lower ends oflevers or arms X K, said rod or wire is drawn from between the rows ofrollers a straightened and somewhat laminated, and as it passes throughthe aperture 0 in standard 0, its end being supported by wheel B, it issubjected to downward flexure, which should extend beyond the limit ofelasticity of therod, so as to cause a permanent curve.

To form sprin of given form and size, I proceed as follows: First, Imeasure the length of wire contained in such a sprin Suppose it will befour meters; suppose, also, that the wheels A, 13, and D have a diametersuch as to make pass forty centimeters of wire or rod at each turn ofthem, or the four meters necessary in making ten turns. Vhile they makethese ten turns the cam or eccentric E shall make only one turn. Forthat purpose the oblique-toothed wheel K, which meshes with theworm-wheel F, must have the number of teeth necessary to make the shaftE, which may be called the shaft of unities of the springs orwire-lcngth-measuring shaft, turn one time while the different lengthsrequired for each shape of springs pass between the wheels A and D.Therefore it is necessary to have wheels K of different diameters.

To make cylindrical springs, the smoothfaced wheel or cam E must beround, so as to hold the tool C always in the same position in regard tothe points of support of the wire or rod on the wheels A and 13.According to the diameter of the cylindric springs to be made,'theposition of the tool 0 is regulated by the diameter of the round wheel Ecombined with the position more or less advanced of the wedge L in theframe M.

If the shape of the springs to be made is that of two cones hangingtogether by the large or the small ends, the tool or cylinder 0 mustmake complete evolution-th at is, mount and descend or descend andmount-while the length of wire or rod required for one spring passesbetween the wheels A and D, and therefore the eccentric form of thewheel E is then necessary. If the two cones hang together by their smallends, the tool 0 is made to descend by the eccentric E during the timenecessary to make the first half of the spring, and during the formingof the second half the tool 0 is made to mount by the combined action ofeccentric-wheel E and the spring I which has been placed around thetool, one end being fixed to this tool, and the other bearing on asuitable point of the permanent part of the machineframe to sustain itand makeit follow perfectly the eccentric-wheel Ein all its curves, thisbeing essential to convenient working.

It will be desirable at certain times to cut the springs in givenlengths, orinto their unities if they are not cylindric springs, whichare usually formed of any length convenient for handling, and afterwardcut up for special purposes. For this purpose I place upon my machine acutting apparatus, which I will now describe.

J is avertical arm, having a horizontal arm, j, to which is rigidlysecured a shear-blade, j,

and upon top of this blade is pivoted another shorter blade, j, by meansof a short shaft, 9'", passing through arm j, its upper end squared tofit a hole in the upper blade, and its lower end squared to fit a socketin the end of an arm, S, to the outer end of which is attached a spring,I, the other end of which is fixed at a suitable point to a permanentpart of the machine-frame. T is a vertical shaft, ar-

. ranged in suitable bearings at the end of the point of the inclinedcam-face of wheel U,

passes arm f, which will then be released and fiy back, permitting thespring I to forcibly and suddenly close the shears upon the coil, whichshould be guided between the blades. The shears should be arrangedimmediately over the wheel B, and when the first coil or spring has beenonce guided between the blades it will continue to travel in thatdirection.

In practice, the fitting of the cam U on the shaft E must be regulated,once for all, so as to make it act on the shoulder U in the moment afterthe cam E ended its rotation necessary to form one spring, and made thetool or cylinder 0 begin another vertical reciprocating motion necessaryto form the next sprin As said before, the shaft IE will make one turnwhile the length necessary of wire or red for one spring passes throughthe machine, and the position where the spring is cut olf is determinedby the angle of fitting of the cam U in regard to the cam F.

As to the rapidity of motion of shaft E, and therefore of cams or wheelsE and U, itis regulated, as beforesaid, in conformity to the lengths ofwires or rodseontained in one spring by means of the worm-wheel F andthe oblique-toothed wheel K, which can be changed for others of more orless large diameters.

It will usually be the case that the spring which has just been coiledand cut will have to be upset or compressed, and for the purpose Iattach to and combine with the other parts of my machine an. apparatusdescribed as follows:

A shaft, m arranged in bearin gs in the side of the base 7, has on itsprojecting end a hub, Q, from which, in the same vertical. plane atright angles, project four radial arms, It It It R. A drum, V, placedeccentricall y around this hub, is surmounted by a hopper, B, Fig. 4;and said drum has, through the entire extent of the curved wall anaperture or slot, through which the radial arms It R R E play. The shaftm carries a belt-pulley, q, Fig. 5, and receives motion from anotherbelt-pulley, on the shaft E. These pulleys should be so proportionedthat one of the arms RR R It will be brought to a vertical position inthe hopper B just at themoment a spring is severed from the coil by thecutting device hercinbefore described. In this case the proportion ofspeed between shaft E and shaft m of the compressing apparatus is of oneto four. The severed spring will fall into the hopper and around thevertical arm, which, continuing its revolution, will force said springaround through the gradually contracting chamber of the drum until itfinally passes out from the most contract-ed part, and drops from thearm which carried it. But it is not always necessary that the springsshould be -compressed, as they may be found to have, when cut off, theexact required pitch or distance between spirals; for, as beforeintimated, the wheel B may be placed in a different vertical plane fromA and B, and the wire may pass obliquely from A and D to B, and thedegree of angle which it thus forms with the plane of wheel A willdetermine the pitch of the spring formed, the distance between thespirals of which will correspond with the angle.

I will now describe the combination of engaging and disengaging devices,by means of which. the principal operative parts of the machine may besimultaneously thrown into or out of action.

A lever, N, is fixed upon a shaft, D, from which project also short arms0,0, 0', and E. The shaft D is turned by the lever, and through arm 0and an adjustable connecting link sliding motion is communicated to theblock L on the inclined face of the block M. When the block L is movedfrom beneath the eccentric E the spring N raises the standard 0, so thatthe eccentric may revolve without communicating motion to frame M orcylinder 0, the aperture 0 of which will be at or above a tangent linebetween wheels A and B, so that the rod or wire may be readily'removedfrom or passed through said aperture. At the same time the arms 0 and 0,through connectinglinks, move the wedges X X, arranged between the endsof arms X X and the permanent frame of the machine, the withdrawal ofwhich wedges, as will be seen, relieves the rod or wire from pressurebetween wheels A and D. The arm E, through link P and lever I operatesthe fork 3 for shifting the belt from the fast to the loose pulley.

The eomiecting-links from the arms on shaft D may be so arranged that amovement of the lever N in either direction will throw the parts out ofaction; or they may be so arranged that a movement of the lever in onedirection will throw the parts into action, and a movement in theopposite direction will throw them out.

The shaft F, Fig. 5, of the worm F has its bearin gs on a swingingframe, F, so arranged that at any moment the worm F may be swung out ofengagement with the oblique-toothed wheel K, if this wheel is to bechanged to make springs of different shape, or for other reasons.

The advantage of the combination of disengaging and engaging devices is,that immediately on. the stoppage of the machine the parts which actdirectly upon the rod or wire are placed in such positions that the saidrod or wire may be readily removed therefrom or placed in properposition for being acted upon, as desired.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination. of the wheels A I the vertically-reciproeatingstandard 0, having the guide passage or aperture 0 at its upper end,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of vertical shaft '1, arm f, cam-faced wheel lspring-shears, and. connecting arms and links, substantially as setforth.

3. In a spiral-spring machine, an automatic compressing device, providedwith arms for receiving the separate coils as completed, and for forcingthem through a compressing-drum,

' substantially as described.

4. The combination of revolving hub Q, having radial arms R R R lt, andthe slotted eccentric-drum V, substantially as described.

5. In a spiral-spring machine, the combination of the main driving-shaftand the coiling and straightening devices with devices for throwing saiddriving-shaft coiling and straightening devices out of or into actionand operative engagement simultaneously, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The combination of lever N, shaft D, arms 0 O O E, wedges L XX,'levers X X, fork y, and intermediate links, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the driving-shaft m, swinging shaft F andintermediate gears, worm-wheel F, oblique-toothed wheel K, shaft 15, andavariable device for lifting the standard O, substantially as described,and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the maindrivin g-shaf t and the ceiling deviceswith the shaft F of the worm-wheel F, cams E and U on shaft E, and theoblique-toothed wheel K, substantially as described.

1. (JUGIIERA'IL Witnesses:

ER NoN Annie, F. VioNnAU.

